An idiom is defined as “[a] speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements, as in keep tabs on” (Idiom, n.d).Therefore, it is a challenge for the students to try to imagine what the idiom could mean.They must create a mental representation of a literal interpretation of the idiom, and think laterally about what situations it could be applied to or represent.For example, in French, if you are really hungry, you 'have your stomach in your heels‘. The skills used to match the idioms include the integrative insight which Breen and White (1996, p.3) describe as characteristic of gifted students; that is, finding parallels between separate items.This also requires students with to think creatively(Direction de l'éducation française, 2002, p.128).
If your class is doing a unit on films, give gifted students a list of titles in French to match with the English. As the titles are not often literally translated, this requires a bit of lateral thought. Students can also reflect (in English) on the way the title was translated, and if they think it suits the film/expresses the same idea. It would be useful to provide students with a brief synopsis of the films for the final part of this activity.
Breen, M., & White, D. (1996, September). The philosophy of French funetics: An essay in applied gifted intelligence. Roeper Review, 19(1), 44. Retrieved August 10, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.
Body idioms
An idiom is defined as “[a] speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements, as in keep tabs on” (Idiom, n.d). Therefore, it is a challenge for the students to try to imagine what the idiom could mean. They must create a mental representation of a literal interpretation of the idiom, and think laterally about what situations it could be applied to or represent. For example, in French, if you are really hungry, you 'have your stomach in your heels‘. The skills used to match the idioms include the integrative insight which Breen and White (1996, p.3) describe as characteristic of gifted students; that is, finding parallels between separate items. This also requires students with to think creatively (Direction de l'éducation française, 2002, p.128).
Translations of film titles
If your class is doing a unit on films, give gifted students a list of titles in French to match with the English. As the titles are not often literally translated, this requires a bit of lateral thought. Students can also reflect (in English) on the way the title was translated, and if they think it suits the film/expresses the same idea. It would be useful to provide students with a brief synopsis of the films for the final part of this activity.
References
Idiom (n.d), Retrieved August 17, 2009, from http://www.answers.com/topic/idiom
Breen, M., & White, D. (1996, September). The philosophy of French funetics: An essay in applied gifted intelligence. Roeper Review, 19(1), 44. Retrieved August 10, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.
n.a. (2002) Enseigner aux eleves doues et talentueux (Teaching Students Who Are Gifted and Talented). Alberta: Direction de l'education francaise, Alberta Learning. Retrieved August 18, 2009, from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED469548&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED469548